Boohoohoo, zombies can see you!

Spooked much?

This is a month of celebration, of magic and never-ending stories.
That’s why my blog will participate in the Halloween Giveaway Hop organised by Heidi from Rainy Day Ramblings (along with Lila @ Babbling About Books). Together, many book bloggers will spook for books, giving you the opportunity to win a prize in any of the giveaways that will be organised during this month.

So, here’s the deal:

I loved this series called “Newsfelsh” – it’s not a secret, I say this to anyone that has ears to hear (or eyes to read). I am not sure how spooky you might find it, but it has zombies, a lot of mystery and breath taking action. And because it is such a great story I am giving away one book in the series (you will pick which one: Feed, DeadlineorBlackout) in paperback format.
Also, I had the chance to change a few words with the author in a two-parts interview, that I hope you will enjoy as much as I did:

Part one: The spooky game:

Mira, let’s pretend you are a new character in your own story. You look like yourself, you are wherever you are right now and there are zombies all around your building. How different this new character is from the writer, Mira Grant?

MG: …well, since I doubt Mira would let herself be trapped without weapons in an indefensible office building, very.

Look outside your window – what you see and how much of it would remain the same in a post-apocalyptic world?

MG: It’s an alley. It would be exactly the same, unless it was filled with zombies.

Look into your fridge – how much of the food in there would be safe to eat? Animal food would put you in danger, for how long would you survive with what you have? What will you do after that?

MG: There is no fridge.

Take a look at what you’re wearing. Would you be able to fight in those clothes? Would you be able to run? Where would you run?

MG: Yes, but not for long, because I’m in an indefensible location.

Look around you– is there anything you could use as a weapon if the zombies attacked?

MG: No.

Would you be a blogger? Would you be a friend of the Masons?

MG: No, because I would be dead before I could do much but tweet a mournful “Well, shit.”

We’ve seen how your characters managed to fight with zombies (let me tell you this, you’ve taught them well). But what would you do if faced with them? Would you dare to poke them with a stick?

MG: During the initial zombie outbreak, when we knew nothing about their biology or how they function? No. I’m not getting anywhere near them.

You need to be a hero at some point (or you need to raise your ratings)… What crazy things will you do?

MG: Get eaten. Maybe that will buy some people some time.

If Mira decided that you need to have a dramatic ending, what would that be? (I know, I’m playing evil now – do you remember how I’ve said that you took out some characters that I liked? It’s payback time!)

MG: Mira doesn’t exist, and so doesn’t get to give me a dramatic ending. Mira would be dying right alongside me, since putting me into the apocalypse in my current location, with my available resources, means we’re lasting an hour at best. Probably more like twenty minutes.

International Giveaway:

Note: This contest is opened Internationally
as long as Book Depository delivers in your country. Good luck!

Part two: Let’s find some more about Mira Grant:

As ‘Mira Grant’ is not your real name, I am curious to know: how was Mira born? And why Mira Grant and not someone else?

MG: I became Mira Grant for branding reasons, and as a sort of an immediate warning to the fans of my urban fantasy series that this was not the same thing. It means that people who go “icky fairies” about my Toby Daye books may give Newsflesh a chance, and lets everyone know that there’s a distinction. As for why Mira Grant, that is a complicated horror movie joke which I don’t explain. 🙂

For the people that haven’t heard about the Newsflesh series (*cough* I’m not sure how that is even possible *cough*) how would you describe this series?

(In this story alone) You wrote about virology, political strategies, murderous plans, hardware technologies and off course blogging – I bet many of these took a lot of research. Do you have time for anything else except from reading and writing? If so, how do you manage that?

MG: I have a full-time day job, and I don’t sleep.

Characters are like kids, and like them they resemble you in a way or another. In which way Georgia or Shaun are similar to you? What about other characters?

MG: They…don’t, really. My characters are my characters, and they’re not me. If anyone in the Newsflesh series resembles me, it’s Maggie, only I don’t have phenomenally rich parents. Sadly.

You tend to take out some of the characters I get to care about – is that usually a planned murder or you decide it when an unexpected situation arises?

MG: A little bit of both, depending on what’s going on.

You must know that many of us cried during some scenes in the books, do you cry when you have to make a tough decision regarding your beloved characters?

MG: I put down Feed for six months when a certain bad thing happened. I couldn’t touch it until I was absolutely sure that there was nothing I could do to take it back.

As a writer you’ve made your character push the trigger, I guess that Mira Grant would do the same, but what about the real you? (I confess that I would run away letting nature do its job – call me selfish but my heart wouldn’t let me; not sure what I would do if my life depended on it though)

MG: The real me is a pragmatist. If I had a gun and a zombie, I would shoot the zombie, because I enjoy not being eaten.

I guess you’re a survivor and talking about people that know how to push the trigger.. I know I will miss Shaun, but what will you miss about this series, this zombie world?

MG: Everything. For you, they were a few hours of enjoyment, and I’m grateful for that. For me, these books were four years of my life. I miss my friends.

What’s next? What different genres will you mix into your next books as Mira Grant?

MG: It’s another science fiction medical thriller, this time about medical ethics and bioengineered parasites.

Sounds great, I can’t wait to read it and see what other amazing worlds you can create!

I have one more question for this round, but I don’t want to spoil anything for your readers, so this will go under a spoiler tag.. (view spoiler) You know your characters better than anyone else, so what do you think: if I was a character in the book too and Georgia hadn’t returned, would I have had a chance with Shaun? (You can break my heart or sweetly lie to me… it’s all up to you)MG: Sadly, no. He never had eyes for anyone but her.

Every day during the month of October there will be several stops. Each blogger will be featuring a favorite paranormal book and offering it for a giveaway. Think of it as a month long Blog Trick or Treating Event…

LEAVE A COMMENT

Maja (The Nocturnal Library)

“I have a full-time day job, and I don’t sleep.”
Wow, this sounds painfully familiar.
We’re all so lucky Seanan stayed away from Feed for those six months, even though it caused much heartbreak, it’s one of the things that makes Feed really stand out.
Bioengineered parasites, you say? If anyone else tried to write that, I’d run the other way so fast, you’d only see a blur, but MG is another matter entirely. 🙂
Love the interview!

I was planning on reading Feed this month so I’d love to have the second one waiting too.
Loved the interview, and thanks for the giveaway.

Cassandra Hicks

Love the interview! I can’t wait to read this series!

Hi Ari, This was a fantastic interview,normally my short attention span does not make it through and entire interview but I swear I read the whole thing. Crap, I would not survive long if I had to survive on stuff in my fridge maybe a week or so…..Guess those end of the world people have it right about food storage. Loved that line about barely tweeting out an “oh shit” and dying. I also like that the bad thing impacted her hard! I am ashamed and hanging my head that I have not read this series but it is on my to do list for 2013. Even got an audiobook so I am going to get this done even though it will probably scare the bejesus out of me. Thanks for the awesome post and the giveaway and for being a part of Something Wicked Comes!

krsz

Interesting interview. Thanks for the giveaway!

I stopped by this morning and left a nice long comment and it’s not here 🙁 I loved this interview…I have a short attention span when it comes to interviews but I swear I read the whole thing. Some funny answers, I guess Mira (Seanan) is not counting on surviving the zombie apocalypse. I have heard so many good things about this series and I am hanging my head in shame for not reading it. Fantastic post, Ari. Thanks for being part of Something Wicked!

Sorry, dear, Discus seemed to not work properly for some reason, but the comments show up now. Thank you too for organizing this event! 😉

What??? I can’t see my super awesome comment I did via Networked blogs! ~sighs~ I think I have to say it again!
“Oh Ari, I love this post!! I love the interview, all the questions and answers! You rock!!!”
….. okay, I think it isn’t exactly my other comment, but anyway!
Have a nice day!

I never heard of them, but it does sound good!

Sophie

Thanks for the giveaway, I’ve heard only great things about this series. 🙂 And btw, I love the interview!

Sweety White

love the interview, thx for the giveaway

I loved the interview. This series has been on my wishlist FOREVER but I just can’t find it in the bookstores in my city. Every since I read your reviews on these books, I feel in love with them (even though I’ve never read about zombies!). So,thanks a lot for this Halloween giveaway! 😀